(Probably one for Aprilia)
As you probably know, I run a 95N Nissam QX 3.0 SE with 140k miles. I know mine has emission problem so will need fixing for MoT next May, plus I am seeing surface rust appearing on the underside. My major worry is reliability and safety, but I also want great performance. I have come across a 01Y Nissan Maxima QX 3.0 SE+ in dark blue with 85k miles on the clock for £6k but I am going to haggle like mad.
The question is
1) Should I change it or better the devil I know? Is the new car more of a problem sourcing parts?
2) How much should I pay? (Is it listed in the CAP? I am seeing very different prices from all sources)
3) I am thinking of around £1000 for my car. Is that realistic?
Many thanks,
Gazza
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There is a 10000 mile 93/K on Autotrader for £875. It is also from a dealer.
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Gazza
I would think £700 - 1000 is a fair bet for your car. I have seen equivalent cars sell for about that sort of money.
The A33-series Maxima QX is similar mechanically in many ways to the earler A32 you have - but with (unsurprisingly) some added complexity. The engine management is more complex (it monitors CAT performance) and has a more sophisticated evap. emissions control system.
Parts will be rather more difficult to obtain since it only sold in small numbers and pattern parts are much more difficult to get. Quite a lot of parts of a little bit different (exhaust system, brake discs etc.). The A33 is apparently well know in the US for warping its discs and they are almost a service item - so watch out for that. Headlights are £800 each (discharge type).
I think it is a better car overall than the A32 - body is said to much stiffer and apparently it handles very well indeed and has the 'bird-view' system.
£6k for an '01 85k miler is WAAAAY over the top!. I saw one on sale at a Nissan dealer - an '02 with a stupidly low mileage 1-owner car (something like 17k) and it was only £7.995k with a Nissan-backed warranty etc etc.
Anyway, let us know how you get on.
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Or how about a Skyline?
Look here for a 2000 Skyline 2.5 with 73k miles at about £6k:
www.jct28.co.uk
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That's a 93/94 L-reg which is even older than mine. I think I'll keep mine and have whichever sensors changed.
(I don't mine one of the last shape, M54 engined BMW 5-Series though)
Gazza
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OK, sorry, I thought that Skyline was a 2000-MY...
I suspect your emissions problem is just EGO sensors - not really that expensive or difficult to fix.
Safety on the A32 QX is really pretty good. Mine (and I suspect yours) has got the front and side airbags and its a pretty heavy car. The bodyshell was apparently designed by the Nissan Californian design office and would meet US regs of the time.
Reliability is another matter of course - and things will start to go wrong as it gets older.
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No worries, I would be very surprised if a Skyline turbo would be 6k at 4 years old.
Mine is a 95N so only twin front airbags. Side-airbags was only introduced in 1997/1998. Reliability-wise, I am quite worry about the age-related wear on what will be a 10 year-old car. I would be quite happy to pay £4,000 for a 4 year-old, high-mileage QX (A32) but it has got to be a 3.0 SEL-spec. There isn't any 3.0 SEL on the market at reasonable price, though there has not been for the last 6 months.
On another note, does your 98 QX have Trip Computer and heated seat?
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Nissan now does a nice big motor called the Cefiro, and it's very impressive. Had a ride in one in Ubon in October.
HJ
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Is it the one that looks similar to the Lexus GS?
www.pbase.com/r53lanc/nissan_cefiro
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QX and Maxima QX were called Cefiro in the Asian/M.E. market. I had a drive in the new one when I was in HK in Sep, very good other than the foot-operated parking brakes. Side-profile looks a bit like the new Audi A6 and I like it a lot. No chance for it to come UK though. :-(
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Nissan now does a nice big motor called the Cefiro, and it's very impressive. Had a ride in one in Ubon in October. HJ
Cefiro is the Pacific-market name for the Maxima (AKA QX in UK) and the name has been used for many years. I know at least one has been privately imported into the UK. In fact the Cefiro was more like the UK QX than than the US-market Maxima (being RHD etc. and having the same climate control system). Current one is on the A34 platform - by all accounts a very good car apart from some complaints that it suffers from excessive bump-steer. It seems to sell very well in the US (badged as Nissan Maxima and Infiniti I30 - the latter with 'luxury trim' and so forth).
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